The Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center brought in a few staff on Friday to do a final test of the Magellan's new simulator controls.
The staff moved quickly around the Magellan's bridge clicking buttons and testing the new software. Their goal was to discover programming glitches which could affect the quality of a Magellan mission.
I couldn't stay for the entire test, but things seem to be going well when I left. The controls are beautiful. I'll be excited to see them in action this month on the CMSEC's summer camps.
Megan Warner took the flight director's station for the controls test. The cereal bowl gives Megan away. I've learned something about the Warners after working with them all these years; they are all cereal lovers and would eat it morning, noon and night if allowed.
Jon Parker and Alex Anderson worked on the video for Saturday's Ultimate Camp while the rest of the staff tested the Magellan's new controls. Alex looks as if he needs a break.
A lot of hours were spent creating the video below for the CMSEC's new summer mission Silhouette.
Silhouette Mission Briefing Video
Booking a summer camp at the CMSEC is as easy as going to their web site: spacecenter@alpinedistrict.org. Print a camp registration, fill it out and mail it in. Why sit at home bored this summer when you could be doing an awesome camp at either of Pleasant Grove's Space Education Centers?
Discovery Space Center Finishes Heck Week. The Staff, Interns and Volunteers Live to Tell the Tale.
It was a busy week at the Discovery Space Center in Pleasant Grove. Two three day camps (Galaxy Camps), one overnight camp and one school field trip - not to mention several private missions - kept everyone busy to the point of exhaustion. Was Casey Voeks insane when he drew up this summer's camp schedule?
I, for one, am happy its over. I'm going to need a few days to catch up on the sleep I missed chaperoning all five nights last week. I won't exaggerate and say it wasn't without its great moments. The campers were perfectly behaved and lots of fun. They went right to bed saving me from having to use my "Knock It Off!" voice. The staff enjoyed having them in the simulators as well.
This will be a fantastic summer if all our camps go as well as the three we ran this week.
DSC staffer Brandon working the campers through a 'landing party' experience in Stone Gate's front lobby. Stone Gate is the home of the Discovery Space Center.
Jorden O., was the chef de cuisine for the camps this week. I found him cooking up a storm for one of the camp's suppers. Notice its service with a smile when Jorden is in the kitchen.
I tried a slice of garlic bread. It passed. I've got to hand it to Jorden, the spread covered the entire slice of bread - a difficult task for even an experienced chef in one of America's finest restaurants. Jorden also mastered the perfect ratio of butter to garlic. Getting to experience a slice of Jorden's garlic bread is reason enough to sign up for a DSC extended summer camp!
Jorden wanted to show me he wasn't a one trick pony as suggested by many of the DSC's staff. "I'm the best flight director around here," he said as I toured his kitchen. "AND I'm also the best cook. Come over here and give my spaghetti a try. You'll swear your in Rome - I ain't kiddin."
Jorden was right, the spaghetti nearly fooled my Italian blood into thinking it was imported directly from the New York City's Little Italy. Remembering that DSC's director was in the building, I pulled Jorden aside to remind him of something he'd forgotten. "Jorden, I'm not the one you need to be impressing. Remember, Casey is your boss and he also cooks up a mean plate of spaghetti when given the chance. What will he say?"
"Let's find out," Jorden replied. Moments later Casey had a plate of deliziosi spaghetti dalla cucina del maestro Jorden. We sat around the table anticipating his reaction.
"Bravo, Meglio di mia madre!" Casey shouted in Italian after the first bite. We all clapped. Jorden raised his arms to the sky, then took Casey by the hand. "Sei una sacra reliquia la cui mano dovrei baciare," he said.
"Feed the campers. They're hungry." Casey motioned for Jorden to go. His audience was at an end. Jorden backed out of the room, stopped at the door, bowed, turned and disappeared down the hall and back to the kitchen.
Mr. W.
The Imaginarium
"Sei una sacra reliquia la cui mano dovrei baciare" means "Are you a holy relic whose hand I kiss"... I think the flight directors at DSC are starting to lose it, thinking that Casey is some sort of "Relic"....
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